Register control mechanism for printing presses



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REGISATER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES March 19, 1946.

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*f .2 5 0 2 0 1 "cnoss REFERENCE l ExAwnNER March 19, 1946. KOT-r 2,396,706

REGISTER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES FledFleb. 21, 1942 -2 Sheets-Shea* 2 I a V1 E F INVENIOA J sRMAA//farr .BY Y Y Patented Mar. 19, 1946 REGISTER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Hermann Kott, West Orange, N. I., assignor, by mesnc assignments, to Publication Corporation, `New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 2l, 1942, Serial No. 431,775

`-by means oi' which control mechanism may be Claims.

The present invention relates to register control mechanisms for printing presses and embodies, more specifically, an improved form of mechanism by means of which the register of a continuous moving web of paper with respect to two or more cylinders may be effectively accomplished. .Y

'In my co-pending application Serial No.211,365 there is described a web register mechanism utig lizing a high frequency alternating carrier current as a force by means of which impulses that are in synchronism with the movement of Vthe web may be impressed upon a remote electroresponsive device. The aforesaid impulses are utilized to modulate the carrier.current and, in this fashion, the seriously objectionable time lag y that would otherwise be occasioned by the low capacitance characteristic of the circuits is avoided.

In the aforesaid co-pending application, the impulses or modulations which are in synchronism with the occurrence of the spot previously applied to the web as an indexing or register` marking, are utilized as a means for varying another force that is varied in accordance with the rotation of the printing cylinder, that is, the' said other force is in synchronism with the cylinder rotation, and by combining these two forces in a suitable electro-responsive device, the desired indication of register with respect to the cylinder is accomplished.

Register mechanisms for low speed printing l presses have heretofore been developed that ject oi the present invention, accordingly, is lto provide a web register mechanism vior devices o'f the above character, the mechanism enabling a suihciently strong current to'be generated to effect the operation of a suitable electro-responsive mechanism and in the extremely limited interval of time available for such actuation.

-actuated automatically to compensate for conditions of faulty register during registration.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved electrical mechanism by means of which a suitable alternating carrier current may be generated and modulated by spot occurrence to provide impulses of suitable strength and in synchronism with the spot occurrence, thus to permit desired controlling operations to be en'ected.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved control mechanism by means of which the impulses above referred to and in synchronism with the spot occurrence may be utilized as a means for operating suitable corrective mechanism under predetermined conditions.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent as it is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a web -register control mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention: and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a continuous web printing press on which the timing switch and light responsive mechanism have i A-further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism ci the above character been installed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the aforesaid drawings, a lamp I supplies light to a condenser lens system 2 to direct a beam of light 3 to a rotating disc 4. The disc I is formed with a plurality of apertures 5 adjacent the periphery thereof, the disc and light being so arranged that the beam is focused at the path of the rotating apertures 5. Rotation of the disc l thus chops up the beam of light and provides a source of intermittent light impulses i'or beams 6 which are directed to an ob- Jective lens system 1 which focuses the beam upon the moving web W. The web has had printed upon it spots S, these spots having been printed by a printing cylinder P that has printed an impression which is to register with subsequently printed impressions. The spots thus pass under the light beam 6 in a common path so that the intermittent beam of light falls upon the spots as they pass beneath the beam.

Light is reflected from the web W in the form of a beam l and falls upon a photoelectric cell 9 of improved structure. 'I'his photoelectric cell or vtube is formed to multiply the strength of the in the tube. For example, dynodes d1, d, d3, di, d5, d', d", d' and d are mounted within the tube 9 and connected to resistances r1, r2, r3, r, r. r, r", r', and r, respectively, by means of wires al, ai, al, ai, a5, a, a", a. and a. respectively.

The aforesaid resistances are connected to wires I I and I2 which are connected to a source of1000 volt direct current. The resistances are so constructed that the voltage differential between the respective dynodes is 100 volts and. in this fashion. electrons emitted by the cathode I when. light impinges upon it fall upon dynode dl and dislodge other electrons in a number that is a multiple of the electrons emitted by the cathode I0. These electrons, plus the additional dislodged electron irom the dynode d1, fall upon the dynode d2 and the operation is repeated. In this fashion, great amplification is accomplished so that the electrons falling upon the Vanode I3 result in the accomplishment of a large current in the wire I4.

It will be seen that the wire II is grounded at I5 to furnish a common ground wre for the circuit. and. in operation. the disc 4 is rotated at a suiiiciently high speed io provide at least two light impulses upon the spot S as it travels beneath the beam of light 5. For example a frequency of 2500 impulses per minute has been found suitable for this purpose and the number of apertures 5 and the speed of rotation of the disc 4 can thus be easily determined.

B v means of the foregoing mechanism. a very feeble current produced by a weak illumination can ea silv be multiplied several hundred thousand times so that the resultant output current of the tube afiords a strong current which, for frequencies up to 100.000 cycles is n linear function of the erciting illumination, and the act'on of the tube is instantaneous.

The modulated carrier current furnished bv the wire I4 is impressed an'ross the primary of a transformer T. the other terminal of the primarv being connected to ground bv wire I5. The transformer T is provided with two secopder'es I1 and I8 which are connected to detector tubes I9 and 20. respectivelv. by wires 2I and 72. The other terminals of the secondaries are connected to the cathodes of the detector tubes I 9 and 2li bv means of a wire 23 through a variahle resistance 24. which. for example. may be 000 ohms. A condenser 25 which may be of 25 microfarads is ronnected across the resistance. and there is thus provided a grid bias adiustment so that the detector tubes can be adjusted for cut-off. The plates of the detector tubes are connected to ground at I5 bv conductor II and through a condenser 25 which may be of .001 microiarad capacity and by means of wires 21 and 28. are connected to a resistance 29 -that may be of about 10,000 ohms. A separate voltage supply 31 is connected across the resistance 29 by means of `wires 3| and 32 and the resistance 29 is then connected by means oi' a wire 33 to the grid of anoutput amplifier tube 34. The wires 32 and 33 are connected to ground through a resistance 35 which may be of 20.000 ohms. this resistance serving as a low plate resistance for the detectors I9 and 20. The filament of the output amplifier 34 is connected to ground through a normal biasing resistance 35 and wire 31. The screen grid of the output amplifier is connected to ground through a wire 35. a resistance 39. wire 40 and condenser 4I. The resistance 39 may be of about 30.000 ohms.

A plate voltage is supplied from a suitable source 42 which is grounded by a wire 43 and connected by a wire 44 to a resistance 45 which is connected to the plate of the amplifier by means of a wire 45. I'he resistance 45 may be of 2500 ohms and the output of the amplier is supplied through a wire 41 to a condenser 45. From the condenser 48. the current ows through a wire 49 to a phase invertor mechanism comprising tubes 50 and 5I, thegrids of which are connected across a Wheatstone bridge arrangement of resistances 52, 53, 54 and 55. 'I'he resistances are grounded at 55 and it has been found that good results are obtained by using 10,000 ohms for resistances 52 and 53 and 250,000 ohms for resistances 54 and 55.

The filaments of the invertor tubes 55 and 5I are grounded at 51 through an adjustable resistance 5l which enables the invertor tubes to be adjusted at cut-oit by adjusting the grid bias 55. so that the invertor tubes are set at their maximum operating current, that is, with a sharp cutoi, the impulsefrom the ampliiler causing a positive current to be produced in the output oi the phase invertor.

'Ihis positive current is supplied by means of wires 59 and 50 to the grids of switching tubes 5I and 52. Each of the wires 59 and 50 is connected to a source of current 53 through a wire 53', this current being about a 40G-volt direct current, resistances 54 and 55 being connected between the respective wires 59 and 50 and the said source of current. These resistances 54 and 55 are preferably of about 100,000 ohms.

Condensers 55 and 51 are connected between the output wires 59 and 50 and the plates of the invertor tubes 50 and 5I and corresponding resistances 54 and 55. These condensers are preferably of about .005 microfarad capacity.

Switching tubes 5I and 52 are adjusted so that thry are operating at about their maximum operating current and are at sharp cut-oft. This is accomplished by the bias resistances 55 and 59, respectively, for the tubes 5| and 52. The resisttances 55 and 59 are connected to resistances 10 and 1 I, respectively by the respective wires 12 and 13, the resistances 10 and 1I being connected to a common resistance 14 which is connected to a source of high voltage current 15, grounded at 15. Resistances 10 and 1I are preferably of about 500,000 ohms and resistance 14 of about 250,000 ohms, the source of high voltage current being at a voltage of about 250 volts.. As long as the grids of the switching tubes have this high voltage applied to them. the tubes are inoperative to respond to the voltages impressedupon them from the invertor tubes 5l and 5I. since the switching tubes are operating at cut-ofi. The wires 59 and 50 are connected to the high voltage source of electricity 15 through a wire 11 and resistances 15 and 19. 'Une resistances 18 and 19 are preferably of about 500,000 ohms.

The filaments of the switching tubes are grounded at 50 through wire 5I and the plates of the tubes are connected to output wires 82 and 53, respectively, these wires being connected through resistances 54 and 85, respectively. to a wire 85 and condenser 51 to the ground 80. The resistances 54 and 85 are connected to the source of current 53 through a wire 85 and a resistance 89. Theresistances 84 and 55 are each of about 50,000 ohms, while the resistance 89 is of about 25,000

ohms.

'Ihe output wires 52 and 83 are connected rcspectively to condensers 90 and 9i, each being of about .005 microfarad capacity. Wires 92 and 93 connect the condensers 90 and 9| through reslstances 94 and 95 to thyratron tubes 95 and 91,

25o-mr connected to the resistance lll.

ating impulse from the phase invertor tube.

respectively. The resistances and 0l are about 250,000 ohms and are connected to ground 0l through resistances 00 and |00, respectively, the resistances 00 and |00 being ofabout 100,000 ohms.

The filaments of the thyratron tubes 00 and 01 are connected to ground 00 through a. resistance |0|, which is of about 1000 ohms, the output wires |02 and |00 of the respective tubes 00 and 01 being connected to relay coils |00 and |00, respectively, the common terminals of the relay coils being connected to a source of 110-volt alternating current |00 and to a resistance |01 that is 'Ihe resistance |01 is of about 8000 ohms. Relay coil |00 serves to actuate contacts |00 while coil |00 actuates contacts |09, the contacts being connected to a motor control circuit ||0 which is of known structure. in order to operate a reversing motor so that a suitable accelerating or decelerating force may be applied to the moving web, thus to bring it into register with the printing cylinder.,

A timing switch is provided with forward and reverse conducting segments ||2 and H2'. respectively. These segments are separated by a dead segment ||3 and a contact arm ||0 moves over the segments in synchronism with the rotation of the printing cylinder which prints the second impression on the web. To accomplish this, the shaft upon which the contact arm ||0 is mounted may be coupled directly to the printing cyl'nder, or, if desired. it may be rotated in synchronism therewith in any desired fashion. The contact arm i Il is grounded at ||5 and the forward segment ||2 is connected to wire 10 by means of a wre IIB. while the reverse segment is connected .to the wire 12 by means of a wire 'In this fashion. the forward and reverse segments will be seen to be connected respectively to the grids of the switching tubes 62 and 0|. Thus. if the web is out of register with the printing cylnder, an impulse from the phase invertor will occur while either the forward or reverse segment is grounded by the movable contact arm i4. In this circumstance. the appropriate switching tube 'is thus subject to the oper- For example. if the contact arm lll Aengages forward segment |I2, the grid bias current oi' the tube 62 is grounded and the tube will no longer be opercross REEERENCE asmuchasthemechanismisconnectedtoaninductance in the form of the transformer T, the periodic current impulses generated produce an alternating current in accordance with the wellknown electrical principles. The modulation of the amplitude of this alternating carrier current by the spot occurrence is such that when the spot occurs. the amplitude of the carrier current is decreased. In this fashion, the right-hand end of the resistance 20 becomes more negative and the output of the amplifier decreases correspond- A the output of the inverter.

It will be seen that the grids of the switching tubes are biased by two grid voltages, one for normal operation and one for operation below cutofi'. The grid voltage which cuts the tube off isl 4color mark on the web with respect to the arrival of the contact arm Ill at thedead segment will remove the high grid voltage applied to the switching tube and permit the impulse to pass to the corresponding thyratron tube to effect the desired compensating action.

I claim:

1. Web register mechanism for use with ma chines having means for feeding a continuous ating at cut-off. The impulse. occurring under these circumstances, causes the output of the tube 02 to be impressed upon the thyratron tube 01 to actuate the relay coil |05.

A corresponding operation takes place wth the switching tube 6I and thyratron tube 06 when the movable contact iil engages segment H2'.

In operation, there is a normal grid voltage of about 1V2 volts applied to the switching tubes 0| andl 02 to make them operative. This is accomplished through the resistances 00 and 00 and an impulse in the output circuits of the switching tubes is thus prevented, which impulse would operate the corresponding thyratron tubes. This limpulse would arise from the 400 volt direct cur- 'rent s'upply 03.

In operation. the resistance 14 is of great importance. It serves as a buffer resistance to keep resistances 10 and 1| stable and prevent the grounding of one to be reilected in the other, causing oscillation.

Also, in operation, the resistances 00 and Glare set so that the output of the phase invertor never exceeds about 50 volts.

Returning to the photoelectric mechanism, in-

web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots. said mechanism comprising a first electrical circuit. a photoelectric device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit 'in synchronism with the spot occurrence. an electro-responsive device connected electrically with the photoelectric device, means connected electrically with the electro-responsive device normally to prevent actuation thereof by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric device, a second circuit. mechanical means moved in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for connecting said second circuit with the means to prevent actuation of the electro-responsive device to render the electro-responsive device responsive to current changes in the ilrst circuit.

2. Web register mechanism for use with machines having means for feeding a continuous web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots, said `mechanism comprising a first electrical circuit, a photoelectric device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, an electro-responsive device connected electrically with the photoelectric device, thermionic means connected electrically with the electro-responsive device normally to prevent actuation thereof by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric dei mums 4 Yasaavoc vice, a second circuit, and mechanical means moved in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder connecting said second circuit with the means to prevent actuation of the electro-responsive device to render the electro-responsive device responsive to current changes in the rst circuit.

3. Web register mechanism for use with machines having means for feeding a continuous web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots, said mechanism comprising an electrical circuit, a photoelectric device in-said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, an electro-responsive device connected electrically with the photoelectric device, thermionic means connected electrically with the electro-responsive device normally to prevent actuation thereof by the said current changes in the circuit cf the photoelectric device, a contact member having conducting segments spaced upon opposite sides of a non-conducting segment, wires connecting the contact members to the thermionic means, and a contact arm moving in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder and engaging the said segments, said contact arm having an eiiective contacting face shorter than the non-conducting segment.

4. Web register mechanism for use with machines having means for feeding a continuous web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots, said mechanism comprising a first electrical circuit, a photoelectric device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, an electro-responsive device connected electrically with the photoelectric device, two thermionic tubes connected electrically with the electro-responsive device normally to prevent actuation thereof by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric device, means normally to bias said tubes at cutoif, a second circuit. and mechanical means moved in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for connecting said second circuit with the said normal biasing means to change the aforesaid bias to render the tubes operative to permit actuation of the electro-responsive device by the said current changes.

5. Web register mechanism for use with machines having means for feeding a continuous web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots, said mechanism comprising an electrical circuit, a photoelectric device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, an electro-responsive device connected electrically with the photoelectric device, two thermionic tubes connected electrically with the electro-'responsive device normally to prevent actuation thereof by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric device, means normally to bias said tubes at cut-01T, a conductingl segment connected to the grid of each of the said tubes and spaced upon opposite sides of a non-conducting segment, and a contact arm having an effective contacting face shorter than the non-conducting segment and moving in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder and connected to change the bias of the grids of the respective tubes to render the tubes operative to permit actuation of the electro-responsive device by the said current changes.

6. Web register mechanism for use with machines having means for feeding a continuous web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the -register spots, said mechanism comprising a 'rst electrical circuit, a photoelectric device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, two electro-responsive devices connected electrically with the photoelectric device, thermionic tubes connected electrically with the respective electro-responsive devices, means to bias the grids of the said tubes at cut-olf normally to prevent actuation of the said electro-responsive devices by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric device, a second circuit, and mechanical means moved in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for connecting said second circuit with the said normal biasing means to change the grid bias of the said tubes to permit the electro-responsive devices to be actuated by the said current changes.

7. Web register mechanism for use with machines having means for feeding a continuous web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots, said mechanism comprising a irst electrical circuit, a p hotoeleetric device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, two electro-responsive devices connected electrically with the photoelectric device, thermionic tubes connected electrically with the respective electro-responsive devices, electric circuits including resistances to bias the grids of the said tubes at cut-otr normally to prevent actuation of the said electro-responsive devices by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric device, a ground circuit, and mechanical means moved in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for connecting the ground circuit to the biasing circuit to ground the resistances to permit the electro-responsive devices to be actuated by the said current changes.

8. Web register mechanism for use with machines having means for feeding a continuous web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots, said mechanism comprising an electrical circuit, a photoelectric device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, two electro-responsive devices connected electrically with the photoelectric device, thermionic tubes connected electrically with the respective electro-responsive devices, electric circuits including resistances to bias the grids of the said tubes at cut-off normally to prevent actuation of the said electro-responsive devices by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric device, a resistance in series with the first named resistance, and mechanical means moved in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for grounding thel first named resistances to permit the electro-responsive devices to be actuated by the said current changes.

9. Web register mechanism for use with mawir chines having means for feeding a continuous web having register spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots, said mechanism comprising a ilrst electrical circuit, a photoelectric multiplying device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence oi' a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, said photoelectric device having an anode and a cathode 10 connected in said circuit and a plurality of multiplying dynodes to multiply the electronic discharge reaching the anode, an electro-responsive device connected electrically with the. photoelectric device, means connected electrically with the 15 electro-responsive device normally to prevent actuation thereof by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric device, a second circuit, and mechanical means moved in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for con- 20 necting said second circuit with the means to prevent actuation of the electro-responsive device to render the electro-responsive device responsive to current changes in the first circuit.

10. Web register mechanism for use with ma- 25 chines having means for feeding a continuous web having retister spots applied thereto to a rotating cylinder for performing an operation on the web in predetermined relation to the register spots, said mechanism comprising a ilrst electrical circuit. a photoelectric multiplying device in said circuit responsive to the occurrence of a spot to produce current changes in the circuit in synchronism with the spot occurrence, said photoelectric device having an anode and a cathode connected in said circuit and a plurality of multiplying dynodes to multiply the electronic discharge reaching the anode, means to impress voltages of dierent magnitudes on the respective dynodes, an electro-responsive device connected electrically with the photoelectric device, means connected electrically with the electro-responsive device normally to prevent actuation thereof by the said current changes in the circuit of the photoelectric device. a second circuit, and mechanical means moved in synchronism with the rotation of the cylinder for connecting said second circuit with the means to prevent actuation of the 'electro-responsive device to render the electro-responsive device responsive to current changes in the first circuit.

HERMANN KOI'I. 

